LIMERICK 2-24
GALWAY 1-18
For the fourth time in six years the Galway senior hurlers’ challenge for All-Ireland honours fell devastatingly short at the hands of a truly exceptional Limerick side, who turned around a game that looked to be running away from them to completely dominate the second half and run out nine point winners.
There is no shame in losing to a group of players on the verge of a four-in-a-row, but the circumstances of this loss will sting for some time. Galway supporters in the crowd of 59,739 in Croke park must have been pinching themselves when Evan Niland popped over a free to put the Tribesmen deservedly into a six-point lead.
Unfortunately, that was the high point of their afternoon, though, as Limerick broke up their momentum, adjusted their gameplan and then got scores on the board in a crucial spell just before half time that left Galway with the slenderest of leads. It can be argued that Galway’s own tactical adjustment didn’t help their cause, but once the tide turned Limerick were in no mood to hand the initiative back to Henry Shefflin’s men.
Galway thundered into the first half and despite conceding an early Aaron Gillane goal, they responded in determined fashion. When Brian Concannon, a huge influence on the early stages from a deeper role, drove a ball into the corner for Kevin Cooney, his deft pass picked out the run of Cathal Mannion who somehow speared a shot into the far corner.
Conor Whelan was also doing damage off decent ball inside and Galway’s smart hurling had Limerick resorting to fouls that Niland continually punished. Galway wanted the game to keep flowing, but Nicky Quaid’s tactical time-out gave Limerick pause for thought and Galway were then denied a second goal not long after when Mike Casey brilliantly blocked a Concannon effort.
Limerick hit the last four points of the half as their stickwork improved and length of passes shortened. They were back doing what they do best and Galway were happy to hear the half time whistle.
Shefflin’s men needed to re-exert some element of control on the game, but while they were competitive in the opening ten minutes, with Cooney and Whelan both on target, once Gillane had rifled in his second goal there was only going to be one winner.
Galway’s energy levels had dropped remarkably and they could no longer compete with Limerick’s power and intensity in the middle third. Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey, and Gearóid Hegarty fired over inspirational scores and while there was still plenty of time remaining for Galway to mount a comeback, one never looked remotely likely as Limerick coasted to the winning line.
LIMERICK: N Quaid; M Casey, D Morrissey, B Nash; D Byrnes (0-3fs ), W O’Donoghue, K Hayes (0-2 ); D O’Donovan (0-1 ), C Lynch (0-1 ); G Hegarty (0-2 ), D Reidy (0-1 ), T Morrissey (0-2 ); S Flanagan (0-2 ), A Gillane (2-6, 5fs ), P Casey (0-2 ). Subs: C O’Neill (0-1 ) for T Morrissey (56 ), G Mulcahy (0-1 ) for P Casey (67 ), C Boylan for Hegarty (69 ), A English for O’Donovan (72 ), Oisín O’Reilly for Flanagan (72 ).
GALWAY: É Murphy; J Grealish, G McInerney, D Morrissey; S Linnane, D Burke, P Mannion; R Glennon, J Cooney; C Mannion (1-1 ), C Fahy, B Concannon (0-3 ); E Niland (0-9fs ), K Cooney (0-1 ), C Whelan (0-3 ). Subs: T Monaghan (0-1 ) for Glennon (50 ), C Cooney for Linnane (54 ), Liam Collins for Concannon (63 ), Fintan Burke for Fahy (67 ).
Referee: J Owens (Wexford ).
